Federal charges in tax scheme, Morriston woman indicted

A Morriston woman was one of several individuals indicted in connection with a fraudulent income tax refund scheme.

Staff report

A Morriston woman was one of several individuals indicted in connection with a fraudulent income tax refund scheme.

Cora Beard, 68, was one of four accused of taking part in the scheme, in which fraudulent income tax returns were filed using the names and Social Security numbers of Florida prison inmates, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Beard and co-conspirator Gail Anita Moss of Miami Gardens used their home addresses and the addresses of other co-conspirators to have the IRS refund checks mailed to them, prosecutors said.

Federal prosecutors believe the team filed about 344 false income tax returns and claimed nearly $1.66 million in refunds.

Beard, along with her son, William Scott Folk, 36, and Christopher Jesse Lee, 35 -- both Florida prison inmates -- and Moss were charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Beard and Moss were each charged with seven counts each of filing false claims against the government and theft from the government.

Beard was also charged with one count of aggravated identity theft, and Moss was charged with two counts of the same charge.

All of the other co-conspirators indicted in the scheme last January pleaded guilty to the charges and are serving time in prison.